Automobile headlining



June 8, 1937. A.1. H. MAcKAY AUTOMOBILE HEADLINING' Filed April 24, 1936 INVENTOR. BY J/7I1/7f/ackay Pan/fw & Emlw ATTORNEY.

Batented June 8, 1937 UNITED s'r orFleE AUTOMOBILE HEADLINING John H. Mackay, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 24, 1936, Serial No. 76,104

16 Claims. (Cl. 296-137) This invention relates to an improved headlinportions are indicated as I and the rear end rail ing structure for a vehicle body. portion as I2. These side rails are held in spaced An object is to provide a headlining construcapart relationship by bows I4. The bows are tion WhCh may be quickly and eCOnOmiCally fabpivoted to the side rails as at I6 and to an interricated and installed within the interior of the mediate longitudinally extending rail or bar 20 as bOdyat I8. The end rail portion is shown as contin- Heretofore it has been the practice to tack or uous with the side rail portions. In cross section nail the headlining in place within the bodyfsethis rail is in the form of a channel as appears curing the lining by listings to the bows which in Fig. 5. The bows are likewise in channel l 10 extend across the body underneath the roof. form as appears in Figs. 2 and 7. The interme- 10 'I'his method of securement involves tedious mandiate bar 26 may likewise be of channel form as ual operations which require considerable time shown in Figs. 1 and '7. and add appreciably to the cost of construction. This bar carries pivot pins 22 rto which the bows An object of my invention is to provide a con- It are hinged as shown in Fig. 6. The bow chanstruction whereby the headlining may be asnels open upwardly and the side rail channels 15 sembled upon a frame at the bench or upon a open inwardly and the pivot connection I6 of the buck in the shop. The frame with the headlining bows withv the side rail channels is more particusecured thereto may then be quickly inserted in larly shown in Fig. 5. The front end of the frame place within the body. The frame is so con is provided with a front bow I4 or end rail por- 0 structed that it may be collapsed for insertion tions pivoted to the side rails and tothe middle '20 within the body and it may be expanded to enbar ZIJ as hereinabove described. n gage with the supporting framework of theA body This frame serves as a supporting frame for the for attachment thereto to secure the headlining headlining which is assembled thereon prior to in position. i the installation of the frame and headlining upon A meritorious feature of my invention is that the body. The headlining may be assembled 25 the headlining can be assembled upon and seupon this frame by the trimmer at the bench or cured toits supporting frame at the bench and upon the buck in the shop and the lining may be that thereafter the headlining and frame can be brought completely around the side rails and quickly installed as a unit and secured to the stitched together thereover or the side rails may supporting framework of the body within a minibe provided with teeth or lugs 24 punched there- 30 mum amount of time. The hand work that is from as shown in Fig. 3, which lugs extend required is practically all taken care of at the through the headlining so as to hold the same in bench.l The installation of the headlining unit place. The lining is secured to the bows at inwithin the body can be quickly accomplished. tervals by listings 26 which are in the form of The body framework is so formed as to readily fabric sleeves or loops fastened over the bows and 35 receive the headlining unit and to securely hold stitched to the headlining so that the lining exi the same in place. tends completely across underneath the frame The above advantages and meritorious features in a manner Similar t0 an inverted Umbrella 17011 together with others will more fully appear from With the headlining thus secured to the frame the following description, appended claims, and the frame may be collapsed by moving the middle .10

accompanying drawing, wherein: bar 26 toward the rear sufficiently to move the Figure 1 is a plan of my improved headlining side rails toward each other so as to permit this frame, structure to be inserted within the interior of an Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on 2--2 automobile body. The framework 0f the bOdY, of Fig. 1 showing the headlining secured to the which suppOIS the interior Side trim Panels, iS 45 frame, provided at the top with a ledge or channel ele- Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l, ment 28 which extends along both sides of the Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line body and along both ends. This is shown in Fig.

4 4 0f Fg- 3, 5 as to Vone side. It will be understood that such Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken on line a recess is arranged at the front and rear though 50 5-5 of Fig. 2. at the front it does not have to be in the form of Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1, and a channel section as will be hereinafter .made Fig. 'l is a view taken on line 'I-'l of Fig. 6. plain. My improved headlining frame comprises a In the collapsed state the headlining unit is generally U-shaped rail wherein the side rail elevated so that the side rails are disposed to be 55 expanded into the recesses 28 and the unit is then expanded by moving the intermediate bar forwardly to straighten out the bows bringing the side rails l into the recesses 23 upon opposite sides of the body and along the rear of the body and projecting the forward bow or front end rail portion forwardly of the windshield header 39. The windshield header panel support 3i! is provided with studs or bolts 32 extending forwardly thereof and each having a head 34. The front bow I4 carries depending flange elements 36 secured thereto by bolts 38 or the like. These depending flange elements are provided with cut outs or notches 40. These notches are adapted i5 to be moved down over the Shanks of bolts32 rearwardly of the heads thereof so that Athe front bow is held in the outspread relation. Through the middle bar the other bows are likewise held outspread so that the entire headlining unit 20 is held in place within the body.

The windshield header would be provided with a trim panel 42 covering the flange element 36 and bolts 32. This trim panel is held in place by fasteners ML The side walls of the body would also be trimmed with conventional panel elements 42 held in place by fasteners 44 in a manner which is well understood.

It will be seen that this particular headlining may be assembled as a unit at the bench on the frame and the frame carrying the lining may then be collapsed so as to permit the installation of the headlining as a unit Vwithin the interior of the body. The side rails of the frame are expanded to seat over the supporting ledges or channels of the body framework and the front and rear ends of the frame are somewhat similarly supported and the frame is secured in place in a manner which permits of rapid assembly or dis-assembly if necessary for repair.

What I claim is:

1. A Vehicle body having a headlining support provided with a recess extending along each side of the body, a headlining frame provided with side rails spaced apart by hinged bows swingable to permit relative movement of the side rails toward each other or spreading apart thereof, a headlining carried by said frame, said rails adapted to seat within said recesses in the support when the rails are spread apart.

2. A vehicle vbody having a headlining support provided with a recess extending along each side of the body, a headlining frame provided with side rails spaced apart by bows'which are collapsible to permit the side rails to be moved toward. each other and expansible to permit the side rails to be spread apart, a headlining carried by said frame, said side rails adapted when spread apart to seat within said recesses within the support. y

3. A vehicle body having a headlining support provided with a recess extending along each side of the body, a headlining frame provided with side rails spaced apart by bows' which are collapsible to permit the side rails to be moved v toward each other and expansible to permit the 5 vided with side rails spaced apart by an end rail and bows, a headlining secured to said frame, said bows being collapsible to permit movement of the side rails toward each other and expansible to permit the side rails to be spread apart, said side rails adapted when spread apart to seat within the recesses along the sides of the body and with the end rail seated within the end recesses.

5. A vehicle body having a headlining support provided with a recess extending along each side and one end of the body, a headlining frame provided with side rails spaced apart by an end rail and bows, a headlining secured to said frame, said bows being collapsible to permit movement of the side rails toward each other and expansible to permitthe side rails to be spread apart, said side rails adapted when spread apart to seat within the recesses along the sides of the body and with the end rail seated within the end recess, and means connecting the frame to the opposite end of the body holding the side rails spread apart and Vwithin said recesse' 6. A vehicle body having headlining supports extending alo-ng opposite sides thereof, a headlining frame provided with side rails spaced apart by bows, said frame being collapsible to permit the side rails to be moved toward each other and expansible to permit the side rails to be spread apart, a headlining secured to said frame, said side rails adapted when spread apart to engage said supports upon opposite sides of the body to position the headlining in place.

'7. A vehicle body having a headlining support extending along each side thereof, a headlining frame having side rails spaced apart by bows comprising sections pivoted together atv their inner ends andpivoted to the sidev rails at'their outer ends, said sections being relatively swingable to permit movement of the side rails toward each other or spreading apart thereof, a headlining secured to the side rails of said frame, said side rails adapted when spread apart to besecured to the support extending along each side oi the body, and'means adapted to hold said side rails in such spread apart position.

8. A vehicle body having a headlining support extending along each side thereof, a headlining frame having side rails spaced apart by a backbone comprising an intermediate rail having oppositely disposed ribs each pivoted thereto at one end and pivoted at the opposite end to a side rail, a headlining secured to said frame, said side rails adapted when spread apart to be secured to the support extending along the sides of the body, and means at one end of the body connected through said intermediate rail with the ribs to hold the side rails expanded against their supports.

9. An Vautomobile body having a headlining supporting ledge extending along both sides and both ends, a collapsible and expansible headlining l.

frame carrying a headlining, said' headlining adapted to be stretched across the frame when the frame is expanded, said frame adapted when expanded to seat upon said ledge securing the headlining within the body.

10. An automobile body having a headlining supportingledge extending along both sides and both ends, a headlining frame comprising said side rail portions and end rail portions and bows extending between the side rail portions, aheadlining secured to said side rail portions and said bows, said side rail portions and said ends being seated upon the supporting ledge of the sides and ends of the body.

11. An automobile body having a windshield header and a headlining supporting ledge extending along both sides and along the iront end over the windshield header, a headlining frame carrying a headlining, said frame having a part at the front depending below said headlining, said body having means below the ledge at the front end of the body adapted to engage said part when the frame is seated upon said ledge to hold the same in place.

12. A headlining structure comprising a frame having side rails spaced apart by bows, each bow comprising pivotally connected sections pivoted to the side rails to permit movement of the side rails toward each other or to movement of said rails apart, and a headlining secured to the side rails underneath said bows.

13. A headlining structure comprising a frame having side rails spaced apart by bows which are collapsible to permit movement of the side rails toward each other and expansible Vto permit spreading apart of the side rails, a headlining secured to said side rails and secured to the underside of the bows, and means connecting said bows to expand them in unison to spread said side rails apart.

14. A headlining structure 'comprising a frame provided with side rails and end rail portions and bows spacing the side rails apart, said bows comprising hinged sections pivoted at their ends to said side rails and means connecting said bows together to swing them in unison about their hinged connections to collapse or expand the same.

15. A vehicle body provided with headlining supports, a headlining frame comprising spaced apart side rails adapted to be spread apart for engagement with the headlining supports, anda headlining secured to the frame adapted to be stretched thereacross upon the spreading apart of said side rails.

16. A headlining structure for a vehicle body comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced apart side members extending substantially parallel to one another, a member extending longitudinally between said side members, a plurality of transversely extending members arranged between said side members and said longitudinally extending member on opposite sides of the latter, means pivotally connecting the opposite ends of said transversely extending members to said longitudinal member and said side members respectively and arranged upon swinging movement thereof to expand and contract the side members relative to the longitudinal member, and headlining material secured to said side members.

JOHN H. MACKAY. 

